


A Return to Mission

by Merfilly



Series: A Rogue Change [1]
Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fix-It of Sorts, Gen, Post-Episode: s02e21-22 Twilight of the Apprentice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-14
Updated: 2017-04-14
Packaged: 2018-10-18 19:33:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10623663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: Ahsoka Tano makes her way off Malachor, and arrives just in time... to go to Scarif.





	

**Author's Note:**

> All my love to Ilyena-Sylph for talking out some of this idea with me.

Escaping Malachor had been only half the battle; Ahsoka had followed the Force for that. 

The first contact she made with civilization shocked her; she had missed years. Nor could she take the time to grieve over it, over friends that had been left behind. From all she observed, the Rebellion had turned into a power that actually was spoken of, both with scorn and hope, depending on how much the speaker had benefited or suffered from the Empire. 

It took her time, time of listening to the Force, managing to work her way into the Rebellion all over again, keeping her identity hidden, but the Force was being stronger than ever in her guidance, insisting on moving her toward some terrible crux. It was a welcome distraction though, as she could not let herself stop and think of the crew of the _Ghost_ or her Captain. More importantly, it did not let her dwell on Darth Vader and what she now knew.

Having helped design and grow the Rebellion, plus some judicious use of the Mind Trick, Ahsoka was able to get herself to Yavin IV, which seemed to be the main base currently. Part of her spirit soared on seeing the _Ghost_ there, but she tempered it with the knowledge that this was a war, no matter how clandestine, and there would likely be casualties. She also noted the Imperial ship and wondered who had managed to steal that.

Making her way inside got a little trickier, yet Ahsoka Tano was not a being who was dissuaded easily. She could feel an urgency pulsing in the air, and followed the sense of it to a large gathering, slipping in after assuring the guard on that door that he had been waiting to admit her.

She hated overriding wills like that, but her need was so strong, or the Force's was. She wasn't certain there was a distinction there, as something about Malachor had changed her.

Maybe she had died, and this was some new manifestation of the Force, using her as its tool.

There was a woman, young and human, giving an impassioned speech to the assembled… senators? Military men? Yes, pretty much anyone that was someone in the Rebellion seemed to be here. Mon Mothma was watching the people react, Bail Organa was watching the girl, and everyone was on edge. Ahsoka listened, letting the words seep in, feeling how desperate many in this room were.

The orbiting death ray had come true in her absence? That thought was strong in the minds of those she could sense easily, ones less shielded than her long-time supporters. And many of the rebellious Senators were trying to play for caution, not understanding that the Empire would eventually destroy them, one by one.

She chose, then, to step forward, gathering her presence around her in such a way that many were looking as she reached up and swept her concealing hood and scarves back.

"The young lady is correct," Ahsoka told them all with the full weight of the Force behind her. She had no time to register Mon's shock at seeing her, or the briefest flicker of a smile tugging up one corner of Bail's mouth in relief. She forged on instead. "The Emperor is a force of destruction. He is banking on just the rumor of a weapon like this driving many of you back to him. Driving others to the perceived safety of their own devices. He knows that just the threat is enough to break the Rebel Alliance against him and his Empire.

"Not a one of you has escaped suffering of some kind, of your people or even more personally. Stop, think, and remember… even those who capitulated to him paid heavy prices! He is a force for destruction and totalitarian power! The weapon exists; it will be used! Perhaps on Kashyyyk… then maybe Dac… but eventually, he will turn on even the most human of worlds, to eradicate any vestige of a threat against him!"

"It is not possible," Senator Pamlo said, a human from Taris.

Ahsoka looked around the room and felt her heart hurting at the evidence that even in this effort to dispel the Empire, it was mostly humans taking up the power and cause. The Mon Cal presence was welcome, but… had the xenophobia spilled into the Rebel Alliance so fully? Or was it just a lack of ability to join in from the oppressed non-humans? Worse, Ahsoka realized, it might be an indicator that the non-human worlds had suffered further atrocities in her absence.

"It is, Senator, and it will be the truth all of you face, unless you unite in this effort to resist." Ahsoka looked at the young human stirring them all. "Erso, is it? You have my support. The rest of you? I urge you to ready for the fight that is coming. By standing together, this point is the one that will begin the fall of the Empire… or see us all destroyed by fracturing us. The Force is very clear on this point, and has seen fit to guide me here to help."

There were more words, more posturing, but Ahsoka was already moving toward Erso and the young… was that Andor? Yes, she thought it was, remembering the former Separatist now that she was close enough to get a better look at him.

"Fulcrum?" Cassian asked skeptically. For answer, she moved her poncho aside and showed one of her lightsabers, other hand gesturing to her markings on her forehead. 

"I can perform a few Force tricks if that would help?" she said, vaguely amused.

"You went missing years ago," he pointed out.

"And I am here now, guided by the Force, having finally escaped the prison I had no idea I was in. It is a Force thing, as I used to tell my troops," she answered him. "I believe we have an assault to plan, Andor. Erso? I applaud you taking a stand."

"Call me Jyn," the woman blurted. "I thought he was Fulcrum?"

"So he is," Ahsoka said, smiling at her. "Call me Ahsoka Tano. I am done hiding who I am, as the Empire is very aware of me now. Shall we go away from these bleating eopies and their negativity? I am certain we shall soon have a strike force, and prefer to establish our parameters before they find us. Easier to present them with a done deal than hammer it out in too large a committee."

Cassian slowly smiled, hearing brutal pragmatism behind those words. "Let's."

* * *

It was amazing what a fully capable Force user could do with an assault like the one on Scarif. It was more amazing that they had the support they needed from the beginning; even Generals like Draven had not been able to raise enough objections to overrule the majority of those who remembered the abilities and sacrifices the Jedi had made, embodied in their own Ahsoka Tano. 

Cassian and Jyn and K-2SO met the shuttle on the beach with the data, the two humans looking vaguely troubled, all of them as injured or more so than Bodhi and Baze and Chirrut, but Ahsoka was able to bring one more massive burst of Force energy to play, throwing the pursuit, including a man in the pompous white uniform, away from the shuttle and let them lift off.

They made it through the broken shield gate, and Ahsoka felt the psychic assault instantly.

"Get those plans broadcast to every ship in the Alliance," she snapped, as she gathered her will and challenged the monster that had replaced her Master. "Bodhi, get a course laid in, anywhere! You're going to need to make multiple jumps, and I recommend jumping near space anomalies as we go."

"But… why?"

"Because Vader has noticed me, and we're going to bait him into a chase, to give the others a chance to escape." Ahsoka's voice was grim. Silence reined in the shuttle for a heartbeat, other than Cassian desperately working the comm gear to do as he had been instructed.

This had always been a suicide run; escaping the planet had not changed that apparently.

"You will need my assistance," K-2SO informed Bodhi, moving to the copilot position instantly, not waiting for Cassian to order it. Jyn handing him a blaster, Cassian fighting for him, and then Baze making certain his attempt to cover the escape had not left him stranded had shifted something in his programming. Cassian was still his prime focus and always would be, but this team was now under his protection as well.

"Thank you, Kay Two," Bodhi stammered, but his hands were steady as he flipped switches and prepared their first jump.

Chirrut pushed Baze's hands gently away from his injuries, moving to sit cross-legged near Ahsoka, and Baze sighed before following suit. The were Guardians, and this was a pilgrim they had met so many years ago, one they knew the heart of. Neither of them were Jedi, but they knew how to draw the Force close, could help ground her and support her as she faced an unseen battle against the Sith.

* * *

They'd made a third jump and barely escaped having their engines blown off by an inspired jinking maneuver by Bodhi when the pursuit broke off. Ahsoka collapsed, all support gone… except Baze's solid wall of muscle was there. She looked up gratefully to him, before wetting her lips.

"Take a roundabout route, but we can go back to base," she croaked out. "Something has fully engaged Vader's attention." She thought it was a direct command from the Emperor… or maybe it was that she had been hammering away at his mind, trying to reach Anakin Skywalker under the layers of hatred, pain, and anger.

Ahsoka could not be certain what part her presence had played in the mission, or the long-term effects, but the Force was swirling with opportunity and change, making her think that maybe they might yet win against the Sith. Some of that change felt distant physically, yet so close in time, as if the Force had found a new champion outside of her long, weary fight.

She looked forward to learning who it was.

**Author's Note:**

> This is, hopefully, the first in a series, though the focus will slide. After all, the _Tantive IV_ made it intact to Tatooine in this, because of Ahsoka's entanglement with Vader. How does it all pan out? We shall see.
> 
> Feedback much appreciated, as I admit my creative efforts have been struggling lately.


End file.
